Key case



Oct. 27, 1953 c. E. ANDERSON KEY CASE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Jan. 8, 1952 INVENTOR. (HRA /Ve4fofl/ `ATTomvEY Oct. 27, 1953 c. E. ANDERSON 2,656,871

KEY cAsE Filed Jan. 8, 1952 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR.

(A41. E A/vofqrafd 4BY i 7 ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 27, 1953 UN liTEDf STATES PATE OFFICE Carl Anderson. llia N., J., assignor to Eastern Tool & Mfg. Co., Belleville, N. J., a

corporation of New Jersey' Application] anuary 8, 1952, SeriaLNo. 265,380

1A claim. l

This invention relates to key cases such as are used to hold a` plurality of keys` conveniently within, a case which may be carried on the person.

An object of the invention is to` provide a key case of the character described of such construction as. to.l have an inherently high degree Of flexibility toy facilitate, the` compact folding thereof and promote ease of operation and use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a key case havin-g the characteristics above noted, which may beA made by a novel method of manniactule. admirably adapted to large scale, accurate production at low cost.

These and other advantageous objects, which will appear from the drawings and from the description hereinafter, are accomplished by the structure of my invent-ion, ofV which certain practical embodin'ientsA are illustrated in the drawings. It -will be apparent, from a consideration ofv said drawings and the following description, that the invention may be embodied in other forms suggested thereby; and such other forms as come within the scope of the appended claim are to be considered within the scope and purview of the instant invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a key case embodying the invention,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, partly broken, vertical sectional view, taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a fra-gmentary plan View of a section of the key case shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the key case in closed or folded position,

Fig. `5 is a fragmentary plan view of la section of the key case shown in Fig. 1, in partly completed form,

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a loop member and key holder secured thereto prior to the closing of the loop member on the link of the chain shown in Fig. 5 in the assembly operation,

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of a flexible blank embodying the invention, in `an intermediate stage of manufacture of the key case,

Fig. 8 is an enlarged vertical sectional view, taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 7,

Fig. 9 is a plan View of the key case blank shown in Fig. 7, in a later stage of operation in which the continuous link section is passed through the pocket portion of the key case,

Fig. 1'0 is a similar View of the key case in its nally completed form, and

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view showing one end of the chain extending through the adjacent end opening in the pocket.

As shown in the drawings, the key case embodying my invention is made from a ilexible blank IjU or" material' such as leather or the like, of generally elongated, rectangular outline, having parallel longitudinalv ends H, I2, one of said ends being. folded upon the blank with the free edge I3 of the folded` portion fixed to the blank to dene therewith a hollow pocket I4 (Fig. 2') coextensive with the length ofthe blank. The folded portion has a plurality of spaced aligned aperturesV I preferably` previously formed therein. A key chain section 21)y comprising a. series of movably' connected links is positionedin said pocket I4 with the individual links in alignment with the, individual apertures; open loop members 2`I (Fig. 6)- `are closed upon the` links` through said apertures. The loop members have swivel studs 22 preferably unitary therewith for projection through the key latches 23. The ends of the studs 2-2 are flattened or upset to connect the partsv as shown in Fig; 6. Byf this arrangement, the key latches 23, which may be of any convenient or desired form-for example, as shown in Fig. 1, in the form of a loop having a free end 24 which may be opened for the insertion of the key and which will close by virtue of the spring tension after the key has been inserted therein, are thus swivelly connected to the loops 2| for rotation on the axes of the studs.

The key latches are further movable in a plane parallel to the blank I Il, as indicated by the dotted line I6 in Fig. 3, or in planes at an angle to the plane of said blank I0, as indicated by the dotted line I1 in Fig. 2.

The blank I0 is provided with complementary fasteners 35 preferably adjacent one transverse end I8 of the blank and with complementary fasteners 36 adjacent the other transverse end I9 of the blank. By the arrangement described, it will be apparent that the keys may be readily inserted into and removed from the key case, the keys being normally disposed in said key case. The keys may be moved to any desired position with a minimum of effort and may, for example, -be moved to a position beyond the longitudinal end I'2 of the key case for projection therebeyond if so desired. The key case is folded, as shown in Fig. 4, so as to define essentially three folds, the major folded portion 30 being the intermediate portion of the blank, and the minor folded portions 3 I, 32 being superimposed thereover, and Iconnected together by the fastener elements 35, 36, to close the key case in that position. Highly flexible characteristics are imparted to the key case by the construction above described, resulting in a highly compact and nexible key case which, by lvirtue of the construction above described, yields to body movements and facilitates the handling thereof. If desired, the terminal ends 28, 29 of the pocket I4 may be closed.

A further .aspect of the present invention resides in a novel method of making the key case shown in Figs. 1-6, the method being illustrated in Figs. 7-10, and comprising, as the iirst step, the formation of apertures I5 adjacent longitudinal end I2 of the blank I0, then folding said longitudinal end upon the blank and fixing the free edge of the folded portion `to the blank as indicated in Fig. 2 at I3. A length of chain 20 is drawn through the pocket I4 defined by the folded over portion I3 and the underlying blank body I0 and through an end aperture, as, for example, the aperture at the right hand end as shown in Fig. 9, by means of a Suitable tool, such as that indicated in the said ligure by the reference character 25, the end 26 of the tool being inserted through the pocket I4 to draw the chain into the pocket through the left hand end aperture I5a and thence through right hand end aperture I5b.'

The loop 2| may have been previously connected to the left hand end aperture [5a to mark the point of complete disposition of the chain to the pocket.`

If desired, the loop members 2l and attached key latches 23 may be initially positioned upon the chain 20 and drawn through the pocket by the tool, such as 25, to dispose the chain directly behind the apertures I5, whereupon the respective key latches 23 attached to the links may be drawn through their respective apertures I5. After the loops are positioned around the links and through the apertures I5, the loops may be .closed by suitable pliers or other clamping tools.

It will be understood that a different type of open loop member 2| and key latch 23 may be substituted for those shown in the drawings although the latter have been found admirably suited for carrying out the invention. In the final step of manufacture, the ends 28, 29 of the pocket may be closed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A key case comprising a blank of iiexible material of generally elongated rectangular outline having parallel longitudinal ends, one of said longitudinal ends being folded upon the blank with the free edge of the folded portion xed to the blank to define therewith a hollow pocket coextensive with the length of the blank, said folded portion having a plurality of spaced aligned apertures, a chain comprising a series of movably connected substantially circular links loosely positioned in said pocket with certain of said links disposed in alignment with corresponding apertures in the folded portion, open loop members closed upon the exposed links, and having swivel studs and key latches swivelly connected to said studs for rotation on their axes and movement on the links to which they are connected, the chain being of length substantially equal to the distance between the endmost apertures, the endmost key latches having their respective loop members connected to the respective end links of the chain to retain the chain in the pocket.

CARL E. ANDERSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,621,795 Lorber Mar. 22, 1927 1,679,578 Lorber Aug. 7, 1928 1,688,215 Weissbrod Oct. 16. 1928 1,691,608 King et al Nov. 13, 1928 1,721,307 Lorber July 16, 1929 1,800,650 Lorber Apr. 14. 1931 

